The Coast Guard responded to a massive oil spill in Sault Ste. Marie, MI on Thursday. Around 5,300 gallons of oil spilled from Algoma Steel in Ontario. The oil has reached the St. Mary’s River, which connects to Lake Superior and Lake Huron.
A representative for Algoma Steel said “A quantity of oil left our site early this morning and entered the adjacent waterway. The source of the spill has been safely contained. The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, the Spills Action Centre, the Canadian Coast Guard, and the City of Sault Ste. Marie have been notified. We are currently coordinating with officials, deploying equipment, resources, and personnel to mitigate any possible impact to the environment.”
The Coast Guard has determined the spilled oil is “not recoverable”. The oil will eventually biodegrade. Lt. Tyler Carsgaard, with the Coast Guard, said “It’s not a product that will evaporate, but it should naturally weather over the next few days and dissipate.” Absorbent booms were deployed in the river to contain the spill.
U.S. Coast Guard responding to 5,300-gallon oil spill in St. Mary’s River
